If you’re on the fence about getting a flu vaccine, read up on the facts before you decide

Prevention are already urging people to get a flu shot to avoid the dreaded illness this fall and winter. While the flu vaccine has been widely available for some time, many people still don’t receive it, generally due to ongoing myths or misinformation.(Photo: Getty Images)

Last year’s flu season was defined as “high-severity,” with hundreds of thousands treated for flu or flu-related complications. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are already urging people to get a flu shot to avoid the dreaded illness this fall and winter. While the flu vaccine has been widely available for some time, many people still don’t receive it, generally due to ongoing myths or misinformation. If you’re still on the fence about getting your flu shot, read on as we separate fact from fiction, and if you still have questions, visit santiamhospital.org to learn more.

Myth: Flu shots will give you the flu

You cannot get the flu from receiving a flu vaccine. At most, you might experience redness or swelling at the injection site or low-grade fever and muscle aches for about a day. These side effects occur in a very small percentage of those who receive the flu vaccination. When you weigh possible momentary discomfort against significant symptoms and sometimes dangerous complications of the flu, the vaccine seems like the more prudent choice.

Myth: Flu shots are expensive

For many people with health insurance, either through an employer or the government, receiving the flu vaccine is either free and without a copay or requires the standard copay but is otherwise covered. Even without health insurance, you can find the flu shot for around $30 to $50 at health care providers ranging from your local hospital or county health department to pharmacy and retail chains. While this cost might seem like a lot, consider that the flu can wreak havoc on your expenses with doctor’s appointments, complications and even hospital stays. It’s an investment that’s worth it.

Myth: Flu shots don’t matter or don’t work

While it’s true that no flu vaccine is completely effective, the CDC estimates that in the 2016-2017 season, “the flu vaccine prevented an estimated 5.3 million illnesses, 2.6 million medical visits, and 85,000 hospitalizations associated with influenza.” Medical experts — from the American Medical Association to the CDC — all recommend the flu shot as your best line of defense against the virus.

Myth: You only need the flu shot once

The flu is highly adaptive and changes over time. There are two primary ways that it can shift. The first is gradually, with small genetic changes that will eventually ensure that your body can’t recognize prior iterations of it. The second is abrupt — like the introduction of H1N1 in 2009 — which means the vast majority of bodies are neither prepared to fight it and have little recourse to stop its spread. Each year there is a new flu vaccine, what the CDC calls a “seasonal vaccine” that helps the body identify and fight the most current iteration of the virus. This is why it’s important to get the flu shot every single year.

Myth: It can only be given through a shot

If the thought of a needle makes your blood run cold, there are now alternatives which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. You can receive your flu vaccination through a nasal spray that can be used for patients between the ages of 2 and 49, though pregnant women and others with a suppressed immune system are not approved for it at this time. If you’re wondering if it might be right for you, ask your primary care physician.

Myth: Only older people and children need the flu shot

While it’s true that certain people are more susceptible to the flu or can experience more significant complications from the flu, the flu shot is for everyone. The flu vaccine can — and does — protect anyone, but it can also ensure that you don’t get the flu and pass it along to your friends, coworkers or loved ones. The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive the flu vaccine.

Though receiving the flu vaccine might seem like an inconvenience and might even cause anxiety, it has been proven a safe and effective method for protecting yourself against the flu. If you still have doubts or questions, it’s important to seek out answers from medical professionals.